Electric switch



Jan. 10, 1928.

H. J. H. HUBER ELECTRIC SWITCH I Filed April l0, 1922 Inventor* H errn an J. HY Hubert WMM H i s Attorn ey.

" upon surrounding objects.

Patented Jan. 10, 1928.

` UNITED STATES 1,655,464 PATENT oFFlcs.

HERMAN J. I-I. HUBER, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELEC- i TRIC COMPANY, .A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed April 10, 1922. Serial No. 551,265.'

This application is a continuation in part of what is disclosed in my Patent No. 1,509,758, September 23, 1924. A

My invention relates to electric switches and particularly to switches having contacts separable inV an insulating liquid. y

In opening power circuits under oil .the arc formed upon the separation ot the switch electrodes causes a certain amount ot oil to be dissociated or volatilized, thus produ@ ing a quantity of highly heated gas. The pressure produced may be suticient to throw oil out of the oil tank and this oil being generally carbonized forms a black deposit oil is the highly heated gas whichv upon Contact with air may ignite. v

One object ot the present invention is to provide a novel means for impeding the progress of the. material ejected by the arc which means also causes the breaking up and the cooling of the ejected gases so that they are reduced to a temperature at which they will not ignite upon contact with the air.

A further object of my invention is to provide a special means 'for progressively impe'ding the movement of the material ejected in such a manner as to avoid injury to the container.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the Jfollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein Fig. 1 is a sectional view, partly in elevation and partly broken away, of a switch embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the balile employed in the construction shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, 10 represents a suitable container or receptacle adapted to contain oil or other liquid to the level indicated, and 11 and 12 are respectively tixed and movable contacts adapted to be operated beneath the surface of the oil. The stationary contacts 11 are supported upon insulators 13 which extend upwardly through openings formed in the cover structure 9. The movable contacts 12 are carried by a conducting bridging member 14 which in .turn is supported and moved by means of a rod 15. The rod 15 extends upwardly through an insulator 17 into a. chamber 19 formed in the cover structure. The chamber 19 in the type of switch here illustrated is Following the adapted to contain the operating means .tor the movable contacts but as the same is no part ot the present inventionv it will not be further described.

The insulator 17 is carried by the plate 2O which is secured to side plates 21. The plates 21 are connected by end plates 30 and the latter plates together with the plate 20 form a lower extension ot the chamber 19. Surrounding this extension and forming a part ot' the cover structure is a` plate 22 which is provided with openings 23 for the insertion and removal ot' the insulators 13. To the plate 22 are secured a plurality of struts 24 and 25 which serve as supporting means tor the baiie 26.

The baiile 26 is composedot two end sec-l tions 27 and two central sections 2S. Each of the sections is formed ot a wire screen held between perforated plates. It will be observed that the end sections 27 are supported so as to be partly submerged in the oil while the central sections are supported a short distance above the surface of the oil. When the contacts separate and arc gases form in the oil, the oil level rises quickly submerging the whole bathing member. The rise in the level of the oil is in the nature of a slap which exerts considerable pressure. The battling member is held rigidly supported to withstand the slap ot the oil by the struts 24 and 25 and as the end sections are inclined the oil pressure is progressively delivered as the oil level rises. The passage ot the gases through the openings ot the battling member cause the gases to be broken up and cooled sufficiently so that they will not ignite the gaseous mixture in the space above the oil. Due to the wire screen no highly heated particles can be ejected from the chamber. Then the oil level subsides the small space above the oil and beneath the battle is so rich in hydrocarbon gases that it is non-intlammable so that even should heated particles and hot gases come in contact therewith they will not explode.

It desired the central sections 28 may be inclined in a manner similar to the end sections 27 so that they also will be partly submerged in the oil.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In an electric switch, the combination of a vessel, an insulating liquid therein, relatively movable cooperating contacts separable therein, and means comprising a member Varranged above the liquid and having a portion inclined .to the level thereof for impeding at a progressively increasing rate the sudden upward movement of the liquid upon the formation of an arc between the contacts. v

2. In an electric switch, the combination of a vessel having a cover yand adapted toV contain an insulating liquid, switch Vcontacts adapted to be separated beneath the surface of the liquid and means for reducing the slap of liquid against the cover of the vessel i an inclined portion arranged normally to be partly submerged within said liquid so as to progressively decrease the rate ,oie movement of the material eiected from the vicinity of the contacts upon their separation and to y cool the gaseousmaterial so ejected to a point below that at which it will igniteV upon contact with the atmosphere.v

4. In an electric switch, the combination of a vessel adapted to contain an insulating 4'liqiicha cover structure Vforsaid vesselyrelaltively movable cooperating contacts separable within said liquid and a cooling and baiiiing member supported from said cover structure and provided with screened openings, said member being so arranged that the force exerted by the liquid uponsaid meinber when said contacts separate is progressively applied. Y

5. In an electric switch, the combina-tion with a yvessel adapted to contain an insulating liquid, a cover structure for said vessel, relatively movable cooperating contacts separable within said liquids, a member provided with openings and supported from said cover structure to battle and cool the arc gases formed as the contacts separate, said member Vhaving a horizontal portion and inclinedend portions and so arranged that lthe pressure exerted upon the liquid when the contacts separate is progressively applied.

In witness whereof, I have yhereunto. set

my hand this v8th day of April 1922.

HERMAN J. H. HUBER 

